THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The crucial CPM politburo and central committee meetings begginning on Wednesday are expected to discuss the West Bengal state unit’s decision to have a tie-up with the Congress for the forthcoming Assembly polls in that state.
The issue is expected to bring out sharp differences in the central leadership with politburo and central committee members rallying for and against the West Bengal CPM move. The Congress tie-up proposal which is backed by majority members of Bengal state committee and Left Front, also has the support of CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury.
However, Prakash Karat, S Ramachandran Pillai, Pinarayi Vijayan, Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, central committee members of Kerala are dead against any tie-up with the Congress keeping in line with the position taken at Vishakhapatnam party Congress.
Bengal comrades got a shot in the arm because of V S Achuthanandan’s support. The veteran leader said the West Bengal unit’s proposal was based on their experiences in Mamata ruled Bengal.
The Bengal unit has made it clear that coming together of Left Front and Congress was unavoidable especially in the wake the terror let loose by Trinamool Congress government.
Meanwhile, hectic discussions are on to avoid a major show down between pro and anti Bengal line proponents at the politburo and central committee meetings.
A cross section of senior leaders believe that sharp differences in the party leadership at this juncture would only create fresh problems for the party which is facing an onslaught from the RSS-BJP.
‘Won’t be cowed down by communal forces’
CPM politburo member Sitaram Yechury on Monday said his party would give a befitting reply to the RSS and BJP which was targeting the left and progressive forces in the country.
Inaugurating a well- attended public meeting held here in connection with Pinarayi Vijayan's Nava Kerala Yatra, Yechury said the country faced a big challenge from the communal forces. He cited the attack on CPM central office AKG Bhavan in Delhi on Sunday and the attacks being unleashed on the JNU campus.
"Till late last night our office in Delhi received threat calls. But I just want to tell them that the CPM knows how to deal with the threats of fascist forces. Our party has a history of taking on such forces and it has never been cowed down by such threats," he added.
He said the Modi government had wrecked the country’s economy by pursuing neo liberal policies. CPM politburo member Pinarayi Vijayan chose to speak like party’s chief ministerial candidate touching mainly on issues of development, infrastructure facilities, health, liquor policy, environment, river protection and corruption. He accused Oommen Chandy and Congress of trying for a "Kolibi" alliance in the forthcoming Assembly polls.
He said the chief minister thought by the RSS-SNDP tie up would weaken the CPM since a sizeable section of Sree Naryana Guru followes support the party. However, his calculations went completely wrong in the recent local bodies’ poll.
Opposition Leader V S Achuthanandan said Vellapally Natesan had secretly removed his son Tushar Vellapally as president of BDJS to keep the illegal money amassed by them under wraps.
“As president of the party one has to give the details of source of income, account of property both movable and immovable held by a person. They have duped hundreds of women self help groups under the name of micro finance,” he said.
